Tottenham lodge appeal against length of Bentancur ban

Tottenham have appealed against the length of Rodrigo Bentancur’s seven-match suspension for a racist remark made about team-mate Heung-Min Son in a TV interview.

The 27-year-old was also fined £100,000 by the Football Association as part of the punishment.

Spurs said in a statement that they “accept the guilty finding” against Bentancur, but “believe the subsequent sanction is severe”.

His domestic suspension will remain in place while the appeal is heard, Spurs added.

Bentancur has been sanctioned over comments he made in an interview aired on Uruguayan TV in June.

The former Juventus midfielder was asked to show the shirt of a Spurs player and replied: “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”

While an apology from Bentancur was swiftly forthcoming, due to this being an “aggravated breach”, an independent regulatory commission panel were required to either uphold the FA charge or dismiss the case.

Son said he and Bentancur remained “brothers” and “nothing had changed” after the Uruguayan immediately apologised to him, admitting he had “made a mistake”.

Tottenham travel to Manchester City next on Saturday November 23.